Southern Ranges

[norts]

Just in the initial stages of planning a trip from Lune river to Precipitous Bluff and back to Cockle Creek.
By my reading of Chapmans SW Book water is going to be the thing that will make or break this walk.
Propose Itinerary is
Moonlight Creek
Ooze Lake
Wylly Plateau
Plateau Camp
Cavern Camp
Then South Coast track

Any info on this walk would be appreciated

Roger

[Azza]

This is one of the most memorable walks I've ever done.

Your itinerary sounds okay to me. The track is quite well defined, we're quite surprised at the time.
I was expecting a bit more route finding and scrub bashing, hence the walking time of some sections
are now quite a bit faster than what Chapman quotes in his guide.
First day we just went to Arndell Falls and skipped camping at Ooze Lake , instead stayed at
Leaning Tea Tree saddle. (not a great campsite).
Wylly Plateau - from what I remember was quite barren and exposed, don't specifically remember anything in terms of campsites.
We'd tried to push to get there but the scrub on leaning tea tree saddle really slowed us down.
PB Low Camp has some sort of experimental tent platform - it didn't work, thus you can't really pitch a tent on it.
At the time there was an upside down smashed up workmans cabin at PB high camp, we assume that a helicopter had
to emergency ditch it....
We also descended from PB all the way to New River Lagoon campsite. It was a long day, but not overly difficult.
Water level in the lagoon was only ankle deep.
In the end I think it took us 6 days from Moonlight Creek to Cockle Creek - with half a day lazing on the beach.
We didn't exactly rush either.

Will post some photos later.

Cheers

Aaron

[dplanet]

Good evening Roger,
We have met not only online but also in person. I again thank you very much for the car shuffle to Douglas-Aspley. Enjoyed the walk.
I did the Souther Ranges in reverse as a club trip about 10 years ago when water was not a concern. There was water at campsites. From memory, there was a tiny pool of water at PB high camp and i had to use my folding cup, the little one to get water. Pack in a small cup and a straw or a tube with you. Will do a search to find un update. Best wishes.

[dplanet]

Hi again Roger,
Check out this site on Day 3: Ooze Lake to Wylly Plateau
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Cabin ... 3c-SR.html

[Azza]

I forgot that I already had some photos from that walk online.

http://www.thesarvo.com/confluence/display/thesarvo/Precipitious+Bluff

When we're at PB High camp there was a small creek running into the gully below the camp site.
Probably had to walk a hundred metres or so down the stepped track to just before where it turned into
a bit of a waterfall. Not sure how permanent it is.

There wasn't much water on the section from Pindars through to Mt Wylly, a few grubby stagnant pools
at leaning tea tree saddle was all I can remember. We didn't have too many options when we're camping there,
except to boil it and hope for the best.

[DaveNoble]

I have been along this range twice - the first time - was the first section of a much longer walk, which was my first tassie walk. We cruised through to Prion Beach in 4 days. We found quite a bit of scrub past Pinders Peak - and we were quite hot and dry for one of the days (the second day from Lake Ooze to Wylly Plateau)- I can remember one of the party calling out for "death by drowning" after looking down to the ocean. On that trip we climbed PB in thick mist and light rain - and camped on a very slopping site. Next morning we awoke to a glorious fine day, climbed to the summit, found the track down, lost it on the way down to the lagoon - and found some interesting horizontal on the descent. We had lunch at the lagoon and found some very thick baura - but avoided it by wading out in the lagoon (easy)

On the second trip - we climbed all the side peaks - Hippo, La Perouse, Pinders, Wylly and Vic Cross (BTW - it is worth going to the Hobart Museum to read how Bisdee and Wylly got their VC's in the Boer War) - We had no trouble with water and found a track through all the scrub. We camped in bad weather at PB low camp - and (I think) we spent the next day there stormbound) - and after that (running out of time) climbed onto PB in mist and rain. It was too nasty to walk to he summit - so we just got off the mountain as quick as we could and descended quite easily to the lagoon, camped there and explore some of the caves (interesting) and had another easy walk along it to Prion Beach the next day.

I know of two parties that have descended off the range from near La Perouse to the South Coast Track - and both parties report it as being quite scrubby. Another way to approach the range is the high route from Hartz Mt and Adamsons.

Dave

[norts]

Thank you all for your replies. Still got a couple of months before I go.

Roger